Blood and Moonlight

Gr 9 Up–Seventeen-year-old Catrin is used to spending her days looking for things out of place; her job is to make sure the construction of the Holy Sanctum is safe, so she checks for weak spots. While inspecting a piece that needs redoing, Catrin hears the screams. Running to the scene of the sounds she finds Perrette murdered. The girl, who is Catrin’s age and whose father died tragically five years ago while working on the Holy Sanctum, had just visited Catrin’s employer, the Magister. The murder is gruesome and it’s not the last. Sent to observe Simon, a detective, Catrin discovers that he is often right in his assumptions, but so is Catrin. Little whispers in the air, Catrin’s senses often lead her closer and closer to the serial killer—what is this magical ability that she possesses? Catrin is used to danger, moving from scaffolds across a building, but can she out-guess a serial killer? Readers are quickly absorbed into this rich world of magic, murder, and mystery set in the medieval era. Catrin is a character who isn’t afraid, but is cautious enough to keep out of immediate danger. The book tends to drag at times and is sometimes repetitive. It can also be difficult to grasp the entire scene as there are many characters and details. Still, fans of high fantasy and mystery will enjoy the lush details, from the buildings to the various characters.